Pseudo-archeology and the Bible

Eric Cline, a scholar of Semitic languages who takes scientific research seriously, warns in Raiders of the faux ark Boston Globe 09/30/07 about archeological scams relating to Biblical events and claims:

We are living in a time of exciting discoveries in biblical archeology. We are also living in a time of widespread biblical fraud, dubious science, and crackpot theorizing. Some of the highest-profile discoveries of the past several years are shadowed by accusations of forgery, such as the James Ossuary, which may or may not be the burial box of Jesus' brother, as well as other supposed Bible-era findings such as the Jehoash Tablet and a small ivory pomegranate said to be from the time of Solomon. Every year "scientific" expeditions embark to look for Noah's Ark, raising untold amounts of money from gullible believers who eagerly listen to tales spun by sincere amateurs or rapacious con men; it is not always easy to tell the two apart.

The tools of modern archeology, from magnetometers to precise excavation methods, offer a growing opportunity to illuminate some of the intriguing mysteries surrounding the Bible, one of the foundations of western civilization. Yet the amateurs are taking in the public's money to support ventures that offer little chance of furthering the cause of knowledge. With their grand claims, and all the ensuing attention, they divert the public's attention from the scientific study of the Holy Land - and bring confusion, and even discredit, to biblical archeology.

I should note that Hershel Shanks, head of the Biblical Archaeological Society (BAS) has been one of the leading scholars who have argued for the authenticity of the James burial box. (I found Cline's article by following a link at the BAS Web site.)

Cline argues that professional archaeologists need to become more aggressive in countering crackpot claims in the field.

Tags: eric cline, biblical archaeology